bgriff

If you are redeeming Starpoints for the room anyway, just call SPG and ask about options to redeem points for Towers rooms. If you are going to pay cash, you can book and then email the hotel at [email protected] to set up the upgrade.

As far as I know there are no capacity controls on these upgrades (it is not like an airline upgrade), so as long as towers rooms are showing as available to book for your dates, you should be able to upgrade. But if you are going to book a nonrefundable cash rate probably worth emailing the hotel to inquire beforehand just in case.

decentmove

I'm sorry, but this is not true, unless they changed something. I remember the Breakfast to be served in the Towers Lounge, not in the restaurant on the top floor. Can somebody who was there most recently confirm this?

Central90210

Breakfast is served at the Oyster Bar on the top floor for Towers guests and The Cafe for other guests in my recent stay.

CFFrost

Curious if anyone else experienced this? I don't see any replies, and am curious what to expect on an upcoming stay.

decentmove

Then I apologize for remembering it incorrectly.

abk

I seem to remember thinking that I had a large hold on my last award stay although I don't remember how much. If I were you I would be prepared for it.

BogeyMan

For a recent two-night award stay the charge to my credit card was HKD 2,000.

RobOnLI

Sorry all but I can't read an 84 page thread.

I'm now an SPG Plat via status match from my Marriott Rewards account. I'll be at the HKG Sheraton all of next week. What should I expect?

I'm booked on a corporate rate for a deluxe room. I set my platinum upgrade request on the stay to "largest room".

What's all this talk about Towers rooms? Upgrades to suites? Paying more for executive suites? Just wondering what I'm likely to be offered, what is the best option to take, etc.

Thanks in advance,
RM

abk

Generally speaking you will be upgraded to a harbour view room or an executive suite with garden or city view. My feeling is the default is the harbour view but as you requested the "largest room" you may get the suite. Upgrades to the Towers are virtually unheard of and you either have to pay with points or cash to upgrade to the Towers. As a platinum the Towers advantages are the breakfast upstairs in the Oyster room with a view of the harbour over the 2nd floor buffett, happy hour in the Towers lounge which is much nicer than the platinum lounge, and just generally better service as if you were in a boutique hotel as opposed to a Sheraton.

To me for a week stay if the upgrade is not a problem for you I would do it. Either way, I would email the hotel and either request the upgrade to the Towers or let them know that you are a platinum now and that you would prefer an executive suite upgrade if available. This will avoid any confusion at check in.

bgriff

This is unfortunately one of the worst hotels to introduce you to your new Starwood benefits, because it is complicated with a separate "Towers level" of rooms which elites aren't upgraded to for free.

That said, you should still have a decent experience. You will likely get upgraded to a suite, though not one with a harbour view. (If the agent checking you in does not mention you getting a suite upgrade, ask politely, "Is there any chance of a Platinum suite upgrade today?")

There is a small "Platinum lounge" at this property which you will have access to, but it is really nothing to get excited about, worse even than many lounges at US hotels. There is a separate, nicer "Towers lounge" which as the previous poster noted, Platinums don't get free access to unless they are booked in a "Towers" room.

You will have the choice at check-in of either 500 points or daily breakfast. The platinum breakfast at this property is the full breakfast buffet at the downstairs restaurant, which is quite good (and above and beyond the official requirement of offering continental breakfast to Platinum members).

Note that at many SPG hotels outside the US, the status level you had when you booked tends to "stick". So if you booked this before you became SPG Plat, the hotel's computer may not automatically have been updated to see that you are Platinum -- if they don't ask you what amenity you want and/or don't mention any upgrade when you are checking in, definitely use the suite line above or just ask "do you have my SPG platinum number on file?"

seawolf

I can assure you the Sheraton HKG is NOT "one of the worst hotels to introduce you to your new Starwood benefits." Numerous US/Canada SPG properties will treat elites worst.

CFFrost

$672 USD hold listed on my card for a five night award stay. Higher than normal, but nowhere near the ~$2500 referenced up thread.

thatdamnmelliniumbug

Because many SPG properties in US/Canada offer the type of food for free (broad culinary offerings and hot meals) that the Sheraton HKG gives for its Plat members.

Read: Can't think of one SPG property in Us/Canada that has anything other than a crappy continental breakfast or crappy club lounge food. Asia SPG hotels rock in that regard.

seawolf

Only US property I've been too offering a good breakfast buffet for Platinum is St Regis Bal Harbour. To be fair there are other US properties offering hot buffets (see Platinum breakfast thread) but it is not close to the selection in Asia SPG hotels.

uanj

I am in this hotel 1-2 times a month and I always get a big deposit on my credit card. So I give them my platinum Amex at check in and then use my spg Amex when I check out. Plat Amex has no credit limit.

I have been charged 1000 HKD a night and I think 1500 a night deposit for a suite.

If you have never had the skyline view, I would ask for the upgrade to harbor view room. There are about seven suites in the hotel with a decent harbor view and they are very hard to come by on a complimentary upgrade basis. If you really want or need the extra room, go for the suite but you will miss an incredible view.

The platinum lounge has a really weird layout, it is basically four rooms at the end of a hall cobbled together without removing the separating walls. However, unlike many North American properties the happy hour is complementary for whatever you are drinking and the offering is OK. For Asia, not the best. Compared to North America, quite good.

The breakfast benefit is a really nice perk for plats. And the service at the hotel is generally good.